If a UNC-Chapel Hill employee will travel outside the U.S. and intends to work, an international teleworking request must be submitted and approved prior to the employee engaging in any work. The teleworking request eForm can be found and initiated through ConnectCarolina Self-Service. For questions related to the Flexible Work Arrangement policy for Teleworking or the eForm, please contact your assigned Talent Acquisition Partner in Employment & Staffing directly or via OHR’s Helpdesk (919)843-2300.

All international teleworking requests are reviewed by members of the University’s Global Working Group which includes Office of University Counsel, Payroll Services, Global Affairs, ISSS, Export Controls, Science and Security, Employment, and Benefits. Requests are reviewed and recommendations are made based on the justification provided in the request, the length of time of the request, the type of work, and the location.

In most cases, international teleworking requests should be limited to 90 days (total) to avoid any perception of “fixed business” (permanent establishment) outside the U.S. and coinciding legal and taxation implications.

To work in a foreign country and avoid direct UNC-Chapel Hill employment, an individual can be employed (or seconded) through a partner institution or organization that can manage the hiring, employment, and payroll operations for the employee. Employment through this channel ensures compliance with foreign laws and mitigates the operational risks of direct UNC-Chapel Hill employment activities overseas (e.g., tax obligations, permanent establishment).

This option requires a collaborative partnership with a foreign institution, such as a university partner or non-profit organization that, in most cases, must be identified as a subawardee of sponsored research funds or other grants. A partner institution may also be willing to manage personnel operations at their own expense, but it must be within the scope of work of the associated project or activity.

An employee can be contracted through a Professional Employment Organization (PEO), which will manage hiring, employment, and payroll operations in the foreign country. This method ensures compliance with foreign laws and mitigates the operational risks of direct UNC-Chapel Hill employment activities overseas (e.g. tax obligations, permanent establishment). Unlike other employment options, there are additional costs, sometimes significant, for engaging the services of the PEO, which must be funded by the relevant department (depending on the funder, some PEO costs might also be covered by grants).

UNC-Chapel Hill’s preferred PEO provider is Safeguard Global which can support hiring and managing in 170 countries. Since Safeguard Global has a Master Service Agreement with UNC-Chapel Hill, units can engage Safeguard Global directly to make inquiries, finalize individual contracts, and process monthly payroll payments. UNC-Chapel Hill’s single point of contact at Safeguard Global is Brett Johnson, Strategic Account Manager ([email protected]).

For questions about the Safeguard Global contract, please contact the Contingent Workforce Program Manager, Ted Bohlin ([email protected]).

If the individual has not had an employment relationship with the University, it is possible they can be engaged as an independent contractor (IC). This allows the department to create a relationship with and compensate an individual who is working abroad. Engagement with ICs must be for less than one year and for a pre-determined purpose and payment amount. ICs must meet eligibility requirements, be entered into the UNC vendor system, and are subject to UNC-Chapel Hill’s IC policies and procedures. Foreign IC questions should be sent to [email protected] and requests should follow the appropriate policies, procedures and regulations on the IC Management website.